<We are sad, sad and  sad (at the spot of the Yongsan disaster)>

On January 22, 2009, ‘Women feeling sad and angry at the Yongsan disaster’ had a memorial service to pray for the happiness of the victims in other world at the spot where people burnt incenses and bowed twice (to look back the deceased with affection). Because they could get news only through mass media for the last 3 days, 30 women or so were so desperate and outraged that they dashed to the spot with one breath.

We are sad, sad and sad…. We are those who are gathered to mourn and memorize the victims of the Yongsan fire disaster.

One lady living in Ssangmoon-dong (more than one hour away) said “When I went to market, I was so surprised at the news that I dashed to here. It is nonsense to use severe violence against those who are marginalized,” shedding and wiping tears. A woman labor activist, Hahn Myeonghee demanded to dismiss and arrest the designate Police chief, Kim Seokki, saying “the police killed innocent civilians four times: Since the police did not provide proper demolition they kill the innocent people once; since the police took irrational repressive measures, they kill them twice; since the police took their body away, they killed them three times; since the police performed autopsies on the innocent people without any agreement from their family, they killed them four times.”

A chairperson of Korean Women’s Associations United (KWAU), Park Young-mi asked strongly “The government said that even one rich person should not be victimized due to the comprehensive real estate taxes, but is it okay to ignore the rights of lessees and kill them?” and claimed “unbiased and impartial people should form a new fact-finding committee, because we can’t trust the investigation by Korean prosecutors.”

In the memorial service they placed white chrysanthemums and recite a poem to mourn this tragedy, and they also offered their condolences to the family of the victims. 

‘Women angry over the Yongsan fire disaster’ consists of KWTU, Korean Womenlink, KWWA, Women Making Peace, and female civilians.

<We are sad, sad, sad.>

Heart-breaking sadness and rage led us to here.

Our neighbors expelled

Under the bright neon slogan of ‘New town redevelopment’,

The world finally killed them, leaving them as wretched dead bodies.

In this society, our hard-working neighbors driven out and killed.

On the eve of a national festival,

While people happily filed off to see their families,

Our slaughtered neighbors cannot meet theirs.

Government power denies the freedom to mourn.

In what era are we now?

Because those who have too much

Neglect those who have nothing,

The world now faces economic crisis.

Under policies and systems that distribute resources unfairly,

We now learn that nobody can lead a happy life.

Now leaders of every country have tried to make policies for the marginalized

And attempted to breed hope through social integration,

What does the Korean government do for people?

Can it kill common people, and tread all over them,

To protect the property rights of those who have too much?

Icicles formed on discarded pipes

Show the shadows of fear among the evicted, attacked at the crack of dawn.

They make us so sad and frustrated.

What are the police trying to hide?

Why have they sealed off the spot?

And why did they try to perform autopsies without notifying families…?

Dead men tell no tales, so the saying goes.

The mean, immoral government tries to shirk its responsibility to the victims.

If they are truly human,

If they are warm hearted,

They cannot do this.

The people!

Who scrambled to survive

But have fallen down again, cold in death,

Those victims, without a penny to their names!

Now,

Please take a good rest,

In a world without demolition

In a world without violence and poverty!

by Kim Mi-ran,                                   
KWAU

<Do you remember, 88CC? They have lit up the torch of their struggle.>

In 2008, 53 union members working at 88 Country Club (88CC) received unlimited job reservation, and 3 union executives fired.

In 2003, workers of 88CC finally renewed collective agreement after the 48 day struggle in the face of shop closure.

In 1999, golf caddies fought against and improved the retirement policy at age of 40.

In 1999, 88CC trade union branch of KWTU was established.

In June 2008, as soon as the regime was changed, the directors and the field manager of the 88 Country Club under the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs were changed, as well.  On October 10, the government decided to privatize the 88 Country Club as part of privatization of public corporations. In the course, women workers of 88 Country Club union branch belonging to the KWTU was recognized not as workers but as specially hired workers, suppressing the trade union.

• On August 8, the management collected all of the remote controls of golf carts using an excuse of security measure of the carts and forced workers to write pledges. 

• On September 9, although rules regarding caddies should be made through the agreement with the trade union, the management tried to change the rules unilaterally.

• On September 19, it is customary that the management agrees with the laborer in regard to personnel recruitment, the company made a top-down announcement of the recruitment of 20 people.  It declared that new human resources will be used to tame the trade union.

• On September 22, a customer lodged a protest to the president of the company against the rudeness of the field manager, but instead he imposed indefinite suspension on a golf caddies who had helped the game. In protest, union members conducted 3 hour picketing and wrote appeals on the homepage of the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs, and furthermore, the suspended union member undertook one person demonstration in front of the Ministry.  After all, on September 24, 2008, the company fired the union member using an excuse of defamation.

• On November 5 ~9, 35 unionists and on November 26, 16 union members received indefinite reservations, which actually means dismissals, using the excuse of defamation of the company.

• as of January 2009, the company imposed unlimited reservation on 53 unionists of 88 CC and fired 3 union executives.

The 88 CC union branch of the KWTU has taken a variety of legal action: especially, dismissed union members have had one person demonstration in front of the Ministry since November 10, 2008, and organized every Monday assembly since November 24. In addition, the 53 reserved union members and the 3 dismissed unionists dividing its members into several teams have played different roles: livelihood support team, assembly organizing team, and the team visiting the related authorities and assembly members.  Those unionists still working at the 88cc also have sent 2/5 of their wages as livelihood supports and been very busy writing appeals on the homepage of the Ministry.

KWWA also supported 88cc workers’ struggle joining the Monday assembly on January 12, 2009.

88CC workers’ struggle is so important that it is the past, present and future to the Korean women workers.  The workers show many realities of the Korean women workers like mirrors: specially hired women workers who are not recognized as workers; indirectly hired workers by outsourcing agencies, and the issue of guaranteeing job security of indirectly hired workers in the course of privatization.  Their victories are my victory and further the victories of the Korean women workers. I give big claps on them, hoping they can survive in this severely harsh period.

<KWWA’s 17^th General Assembly>

On Saturday, January 10, 2009 Korean Women Workers Association had the 17^th general assembly. About 100 nationwide activists gathered together.

Before the general assembly, a lecture on the political situation was delivered: An economic critic, Jung Tae-in gave a lecture on the topic of ‘the financial crisis in the USA and alternatives.’  He talked about the causes of the financial crisis triggered in the USA and the states of the international economical recession very easily.  The lecture was so lively and heated that activists asked a lot of questions after the lecture.

In this general assembly, KWWA’s new directors were appointed. Jeong Moon Ja (ex-chairperson of the IWWA) was selected as a new chairperson, Park Nam-hee (president of KWTU) and Kim Young-sook (chairperson of the DWWA) as vice chairpersons, and Joo Kyeong-mi (chairperson of the GWWA) and lawyer Choi Seong-ho as audits.

After that, a film on KWWA’s activities in 2008 was screened, and a variety of plans were made: action plans were made and presented, and necessary budget for 2009 was reported and approved.

After the general assembly, a film for the chairperson Choi Sangrim having worked hard for the KWWA for the past 4 years was screened, which was made based on her photos. For her, the headquarters of the KWTU sang songs, and the activists of AWWA who had practiced for two days also danced and sang songs for her.

In addition, we also gave plagues of thanks to Yoo Young-nan (chairperson of BWA) and Han Myunghee (ex-chairperson of the Kuro Woman Resources Development Center) since they have worked so long.

In 2009, are expected (^^) many things for KWWA and its regional organization to do amidst the economic crisis. May all activities be healthy and gain a lot of meaningful fruits of activities with the new directors.

<"Do you want us to really give up our meal costs?” – We oppose to the retrogressive revision of the minimum wage law!: denouncing press conference by the women labor circle>

The Korean women workers’ circle had a press conference denouncing the retrogressive suggestion on the minimum wage law made by the Grand National Party. 

<Opposed to the retrogressive minimum wage law!: denouncing press conference by the women labor circle; “Do you want us to really give up our meal costs?” >

1. Date and venue: December 3, 2008, at 11am/ in front of the Grand National Party building

2. Organized by the KWWA, KWTU, Korean Womenlink, and KWAU

On November 18, 2008, Kim Seong-jo (and other 30 national assembly members) belonging to the Grand National Party suggested the retrogressive revision of the minimum wage law. The major suggests are as follows:

▶ Deducting meal costs and accommodation fees from wages;

▶ Extending the probation period from 3 months to 6 months;

▶ Applying reduced minimum wage to the elderly at their ages of more than 60;

▶ Introducing different minimum wage systems by region;

▶ Making decisions by members of public interests belonging to the Labor Relations Commission when the suggested minimum wage is not decided by deadline.

The minimum wage is the only legal shield to help low wage workers especially irregular women workers to maintain their minimum cost of living, and also an essential legal mechanism to end serious socio-economic polarization and to protect vulnerable classes amidst the current economic crisis.

70% of women workers are irregular workers receiving low wages and having job insecurity; women accounted for 64.4% out of the 1,890,000 persons (11.9%) receiving less than the minimum wage.

The proposed retrogressive revision of the minimum wage law is the attempt to blow off a little light of hope that women workers can have better life when they work hard.

With outsourced cleaners whose wages can be raised only when the minimum wage is rising, the Korean women workers’ circle gathered together to denounce the suggested retrogressive revision of the minimum wage law in one voice:

Presently the minimum wage is 3,770 won an hour and monthly 787,930 won. This accounts for 39.8% of workers’ average wages, and is also so small amount of money that they can sink under the burden of sky-rocketing commodity prices and taxes.

Under this situation, the suggested revision is retrogressive in order to support the demands made only by economic groups.

The retrogressive revision attempted by the Grand National Party should be withdrawn, which does not protect even the minimum wage and attempts to take away the fruit of efforts from workers. In addition, the minimum wage should be upgraded to 50% of average wages of the total workers in order to intend to protect the livelihood of low income workers. Furthermore, strict law enforcement should be needed to make the minimum wage a reality.

The suggested revision has detailed problems as follows:

▶ The introduction of different minimum wage by region will bring about the serious rat races of the decreasing minimum wage amongst local governments and authorities, so as to induce investment into their regions, which causes real decreases in the minimum wage. Additionally, it will reinforce regional gaps and the uneven development between the Seoul metropolitan area and other regions and block strong ties and friendship amongst workers.

▶ The proposed extension of the probation period from 3 months and to 6 months will deteriorate working conditions of the young employed who constitute the most of trainees.  The suggested extension has the possibility to make the Labor Standard Law worse, because the probation period under the Minimum Wage Act can change that of the current Labor Standard Law in order that users can exhaust and fire workers.

▶ The suggested article regarding the application of decreasing minimum wages to the elderly workers at their age of more than 60, is discrimination by age, which will generate only low income workers. Social vulnerable classes should be protected and a variety of supports and benefits for them should be increased and consolidated.

▶ The deduction of meal costs and accommodation fees from wages will cause real decreases in the minimum wage.  This will distort the goals of the minimum wage act: the protection of minimum cost of living and stable livelihood. It will also help users to shift their responsibility to low income workers.  

▶The clause regarding making a decision by members of public interests belonging to the Labor Relations Commission in case in which the minimum wage cannot be decided by the deadline, illustrates giving up the legitimacy of the revision because the law should be discussed and decided by the tripartite structure between workers, users and members of public interests (the government), in fact.  Laws influential to the labor market and with different views about between the capital and the labor, like the minimum wage law, should not be amended unilaterally without any social discussion.

<Workshop for looking back the Korean women workers’ movement and seeking for alternative women workers’ movement>
 

On November 5, 2008, we at the Korean Women Workers Association (KWWA) held a workshop for looking back the Korean women workers’ movement and seeking for an alternative women workers’ movement.  In this workshop, why and how the alternative women workers’ movement had been launched was discussed based on the evaluation of our 20 year activities.  The workshop was prepared by our internal small research group, ‘research team for enhancing high quality alternative women workers’ movement despite earning less’ who studied for the past 8 months.  Based on their discussion, they presented ‘the necessity for propelling an alternative women workers’ movement and finding the ways’ (Lim Youn Ok from the KWWA, and Kang Yangmi from the SWWA) and had a good chance to discuss with other KWWA’s nationwide staff persons.

The participants in the workshop carried out discussion by region after the presentation on the themes: 1. describing the moment when you felt the necessity for propelling an alternative women workers’ movement while working for our organization 2. sharing your ideas and action plans to activate and boost up the alternative women workers’ movement including seeds for exchanging hope, alternative money.  However, any team did not join an optional discussion topic: 3. the aims and strategies of women workers’ movement in face of neo-liberalism.  So, participants evaluated that the KWWA is stronger in practices rather than debates and theories. An ounce of practice is worth a pound of theory. 

<Briefing session regarding 3 year project of childcare workers for low income groups>

On December 29, 2008, Korean Women Workers Association (KWWA) had a briefing session regarding 3 year childcare worker dispatching project for low income groups. Panels and placards showing the 3 year project, and drawings and other works by children were displayed as part of preliminary event ahead of the briefing session.

About 160 people including childcare workers, beneficiary families and children from 6 regions (Seoul, Incheon, Daegu, Pusan, Kwangju and Jeonju) participated in the events.

The childcare worker dispatching project for low income groups was undertaken by KWWA’s 6 regional organizations under the sponsorship of Community Chest of Korea for 3 years between November 1, 2005 and October 31, 2008.  Service suppliers are vulnerable unemployed women. After each of these 30 women selected by each regional organizations, received the total number of 144 hour vocational training, they were sent to low income families.

Families whose children are disabled children and infants, among householders earning less than 60% of average monthly wages of the urban working, took priorities as the service beneficiary.

The provision of this service for children from low income families who had been put in the blind zone of childcare service realized children’s welfare rights as a result of this project, and activated and boosted up the participation of economic activities of the low income families and single parents’ families.

In addition, the improvement of expertise of our childcare workers contributed to job creation for middle aged unemployed workers, and helped them to provide comprehensive service for low income families through the linkage of regional resources.  Moreover, the effect of economic supports for low income groups induced their social and economic independence. 

On that day, children expressed their love and thanks to childcare workers, as an opening ceremony.  After that, briefing session regarding the 3 year report was made and research, ‘effectiveness of childcare workers dispatching project for low income families’ was presented.  A variety of events were also included: touching stories by region were introduced in the form of letters; impressive performances by low income families were delivered; fairy tales were orally narrated; and songs were sung by the childcare workers.  It was a cheerful festival supporting and encouraging each other between childcare workers, beneficiary families and children.

Women's power brings peace in the Northeast Asia! <Northeast Asian Women's Peace Conference>

'2008 Northeast Asian Women's Peace Conference' was held in Seoul and Kaesong between September 1 and 3, 2008,  in which women from 5 countries such as Korea, China, Japan, Russia and the United States participated. 

Major women society personages involved in women's and peace movement organizations from 3 Northeast Asian countries, the U.S.A. and Russia gathered together and agreed that the peace in the Korean Peninsula is directly linked to the peace in the Northeast and the world at the same time.

On September 1, 2008, a reception dinner was held under the theme entitled 'Night of Northeast Asian Women's Peace' and on the second day, September 2, theme presentations were made by countries and bull sessions were held by congresswoman and women's organization under the titles of 'Women talk about peace in the Northeast Asia' and 'direction of solidarity amongst international women for peace and unification in the Korean Peninsula.'

On September 2, in the opening ceremony, Lee Insik, Korean vice minister of women, Kerstin Greback, president of WILPF, Simiz Sumiko, former congresswoman belonging to the Japanese Socialist Party, and Rebedeva Nina Borisovna, a researcher of the Russian Science Academy Asian Institute, and Zen Hong, a coordinator of National NGO Publicity Department of China took part.  

In an afternoon bull session entitled 'Women talk about peace in the Northeast Asia' Zen Hong, a coordinator of National NGO Publicity Department of China highlighted the cooperation with UNIFEM,  the need for cultivating proper organizations and activists of Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), and  the importance of networks between NGOs in order to hold the six party conference hosted by civil organizations. 

Karen Rhie, secretary-general of NCNK stressed 'human exchanges are one of the most powerful devices for building peace and can be a basic unit for making common interest,' in the title of 'building peace in the Northeast Asia in the viewpoint of women from the U.S.A.'

She also mentioned that the exchanges can still be continued despite the political intrication, and that they can be seeds in future political processes.

On the other hand, participants from China, Japan, Russia and the U.S.A. had discussion prepared under the title of 'Women talk about peace in Northeast Asia.'

In the afternoon session, Jeong Hyunbaek, convention promotion committee chairwoman said "chances of women's participation and women's roles should be expanded in the peace-making process, and this is a process to implement the code of conduct declared in the Beijing International Women's Conference," in her presentation entitled 'the direction of international women's solidarity for peace-making in the Korean Peninsula and Northeast Asia.'

In addition, she stressed "Women should have chances for mutual communication through the Northeast Women's Peace Conference" and also suggested to regularize this conference and to make strong network.

In her presentation titled 'women's roles in peace-making process' Kerstin Greback, chairperson of WILPF underlined the main principle that 'peace has inseparable relations with gender equality and development' and mentioned that the effects on economic security and human stability should be considered to build peace in Northeast Asia. 

She emphasized "Women negotiators' participation in the 6 party talks is an important first step in bringing peace and security in Korean Peninsula and Northeast Asia." and stressed "Sustainable peace can be made when women take part in negotiation and discussion processes."

On September 3, on the last day, participants visited Kaesong to hold closing ceremonies and adopted a joint statement as means of encouraging North Korea's participation.

In the political situation in which North Korea has decided to stop its nuclear disablement to justify the current situation in which the U.S.A. has deferred removing North Korea's position as a terror-supporting nation, extremely important are women's roles as reconcilers and peace-makers in building peace processes in the Korean Peninsula and Northeast Asia.

Participants agreed that peace in the Korean Peninsula is directly related to peace in the Northeast Asia and at the same time, peace in the Northeast Asia directly connected with world peace, and felt the necessity of solidarity to realize peace in the world. Voices of women across the world will put pressure on and accelerate peace processes in each country, and participants gave their words that this conference should be continued as constant and regular meetings, just not a one-time and formal conference.

* This article was produced by the Women Making Peace.

2008 Northeast Asian Women's Peace Conference

September 1-3, 2008

in Seoul & Kaesong,

Joint Statement of the Participants  

<Joint Statement>

We, women from around the world, have gathered today hoping to bring peace and stability to North East Asia and to contribute to a global culture  of non-violence. This conference was convened to bring together participants from each of the Six Party nations. We regret that women from the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) were not able to participate, and we hope that women from the DPRK will be able to join future gatherings.  

We welcome the diplomatic non-military approach of the Six Party Talks that has brought historic progress to resolving the nuclear crisis in the Korean Peninsula, while regretting the bilateral and regional issues that continue to delay the full implementation of the February 15th 2007 Agreement.  

We, women from each country, are concerned about the growing militarization in the region, and increased spending on military arms, and support the continuation of Six Party negotiations. However, we also note the striking under-representation of women participating in these negotiations.  In 2000, the UN Security Council passed Resolution 1325 recognizing the "important role of women in the prevention and resolution of conflicts and in peace-building and stressing the importance of their equal participation and full involvement in all efforts for the maintenance and promotion of peace and security."

We believe that women's interests, values and needs must be taken into account in order to achieve genuine peace that transcends national interests. Women's perspectives would contribute to integrating human security concerns into the peace process. Women must actively participate in the Six Party process as citizens, as members of NGOs, and as government officials in order to create a permanent infrastructure for stability and cooperation in the region.    

We urge all governments participating in the Six Party Talks to demonstrate their resolution to reconciliation on the Korean Peninsula and sustainable peace in Northeast Asia by:

1) Implementing UN Security Council Resolution 1325 immediately.

2) Fully honoring commitments made in Six Party negotiations.

3) Working towards genuine reconciliation in Northeast Asia.

4) Responding to urgent humanitarian needs in the DPRK.

On this historic day, standing at the gateway to the DMZ (Demilitarized Zone), symbol of division and conflict in the region, we declare our resolve to work in solidarity to build upon and institutionalize a permanent women's network to promote peace in the Northeast Asian region.

September 3, 2008

Participants in the 2008 Northeast Asian Women's Peace Conference

Dorasan Station, Boarder between the Democratic People's Republic of Korea and the Republic of Korea.

Korean Women Workers' Association (KWWA) and Korean Women's Trade Union (KWTU) have planned Women's Labor Forums four times.  The 1st forum dealt with equal pay for work of equal value in the U.S.A. and U.K., and the 2nd forum, equal pay for work of equal value in Korea. In this third forum, researcher Eun Soomi focused on equal pay for work of equal value in European countries.

In Europe, it is said that social supports for gender equality are basically strong, wage differences by size and employment type are smaller, and protection levels in accordance with collective agreements are quite high.  Korea experiences the lack of related regulations and practices and there are quite a lot of differences between Korea and European countries, and so, when Korea follows and adopts only the flexible trends of European countries and ignore its social and cultural contexts, there will be quite high possibilities to cause social problems.

European countries have already had the practices of equal pay for work of equal value and how to expand its application is a question. However, because there is no practice of equal pay for work of equal value in Korea, first of all, the question to define "what" is equal pay for work of equal value has to be discussed.

Eun Soomi suggested that Koreans should establish the practices of equal pay for work of equal value, and also made two suggestions to carry out job analysis under this irregular workers' discrimination correction system, and to make job analysis of irregular workers in women centered public sectors.

The more labor forum is held, the ambiguity regarding definition of equal pay for work of equal value rises. A wide variety of detailed ideas and practices are needed to implement the equal pay for work of equal value in the Korean society.

Will you leave KTX and Saemauel express trains women workers alone on the 40 meter high steel tower even on the Choosuk national holiday day of hope and integration?

Korea Railroad Corporation should solve the problem for the KTX and Saemauel express train women workers urgently!

On September 8, 2008, civil and women's organizations such as Cultural Action, Women Corea, Korean Women's Trade Union, Buddhist Solidarity for Reform, People’s Solidarity for Participatory Democracy, Korean Women’s Associations United, Action, and KYC had a press conference in front of KTX Seoul Station,  calling for prompt solutions for KTX and Saemauel express train women workers.

These organizations made their severe criticism of the Korea Railroad Corporation for no will to settle KTX and Saemauel express train women workers' issues which have been unsettled for over 900 days and its rudeness of keeping on outsourcing human resources, and demanded that the corporation should take responsible action for the problem in accordance with 2006's recommendation by the National Human Rights Commission of Korea and the decision by the Seoul district court and high court that the Korea Railroad Corporation is the real owner. In addition, these organizations demanded that the corporation should solve the problem promptly in order for the women workers not to spend the national holiday on the 40meter steel tower, and in order to make an exemplary and mutually beneficial case and to create a cooperative society like a full moon of cooperation and happiness.

In the press conference, participants from civil and women's organizations visited the women workers on strike on the 40 meter steel tower and had a good talk, and sent support and encouragement through saying Oh Misun, union branch leader struggling on the high steel tower, "KTX and Saemauel express train women workers, cheer up!" by a megaphone.

<Appeal by KTX and Saemauel express train women workers>

If you ignore our rights to live which are hanging on the steel tower, we also have an idea.

It has been 13 days since KTX and Saemauel express train women workers stayed and went on strike on the 40 meter steel tower. Nobody can imagine how dizzy it is until you climb it up. During the day, strong sun heats us up and we are caught in rain on rainy days.  Although this old steel tower shake and rocks very hard by winds, we are determined because KTX and Saemauel express train women workers' rights to live depend on us. Women workers in the Busan Station have been carrying out hunger strikes again. Busan Station and Seoul Station branch union leaders have been on sympathy hunger strike. However, the cold and inhumane Korean society and the Korea Railroad Corporation ignore these hunger strikes. Our strike on this high steel tower is likely to be forgotten soon. The Korean society largely ignore irregular workers and their lonely voices are not echoing in the society.

Giryung Electronics workers have been on strike for about 100 days. Even if E*land workers have still fought, none remember them. Koscom workers still resist even though they have to sleep on the street without tents because their tents are so torn out. Only the police, prosecution, and court remember irregular workers' struggles and push them toward the cliff by the traps of penalties, confinement, and provisional dispositions.

However, our comrades never cease visiting us to this tower. Railroad regular workers and irregular workers visit us and stay overnight to share our tears. In Seoul and Busan, railroad union leaders at every rank and union branch leaders have carried out sympathy hunger strikes. Giryung Electronics workers, E*land workers, and Koscom workers console and encourage one another. In addition people from civil organizations always stay with us. Recently, netizens have visited us to the place where we are in strike and held candlelights for us. Like this, your heartfelt care, attention and encouragement help us to resist day by day although our struggle is very hard and painful. I am sure the little and lonely candlelight can be lit very well like bright fires.

The Choosuk, one of the most important national holiday days is just around corner. The Choosuk holiday is very special to Koreans by railroad, a foot for passengers visiting home. When national holidays such as Choosuk come, dismissed irregular workers are more lonely and sad. In particular, during the coming national holiday, we, KTX and Saemauel express train women workers have to stay on this steel tower and the place where striking workers have gathered. We think about the trains taking passengers to home, and we "should take action." We like passengers using the Seoul Station and the Busan Station to hear the heartbreaking voices of irregular workers.

Accordingly, we have decided to take so strong action that passengers visiting home can gather together and worry about KTX and Saemauel express train women worker's issues and irregular workers' problems, and so irregular workers' matters can be serious social issues. We make our last appeal to the directors of the Korea Railroad Corporation. Please do not ignore women workers striking on this steel tower and on hunger strike in the Busan Station. KTX and Saemauel express train women workers are on the edge of the cliff. The solution of our women workers' problems are up to the directors, but our desperate resistances are up to our women workers' determination and resolution.  We urge the Korea Railroad Corporation to solve this matter through conversation again. Thank you.

- KTX and Saemauel express train women workers fighting against dismissals and cancellation of contracts informed on September 8, 2008-

<Press Conference>

Will you leave KTX and Saemauel express trains women workers alone on the 40 meter high steel tower even on the Choosuk national holiday of hope and integration?

The Korea Railroad Corporation should solve the women workers' matters promptly!

900 days have passed since the KTX and Saemauel express trains women workers started their struggles, demanding that the corporation should provide them direct employment and remove gender discrimination. Since August 27, 2008 the women workers have initiated their lonely and frightened struggles on the 40 meter steel tower because of their desperation that 'they have no place to go any more.'

So far, a wide variety of civil organizations including the circles from religion, academy and women have indicated that the issues of the KTX and Saemauel express trains women workers are irregular workers' distorted and unequal matters in our society, violating human rights, and is also a symbolic incident that highlights gender discrimination, and have continued to demand on a smooth and reasonable solution. In addition, in 2006, the National Human Rights Commission of Korea declared that the Korea Railroad Corporation practiced actual gender discriminations and is responsible for correcting the discriminations, recommending "The Korea Railroad Corporation should remove gender discrimination through providing fair employment conditions for women workers."

After the Seoul district court in 2007, on April 8, 2008, the Seoul high court also decided that the Korea Railroad Corporation should be an actual user. This means the corporation should take responsibility for solving irregular women workers' problems. However, the Korea Railroad Corporation has ignored the recommendation by the National Human Rights Commission of Korea and decisions by both of the district and high courts and kept outsourcing resources for 3 years, giving indescribable physical and mental agonies to women workers.

The large public corporation employing more than 30,000 workers has rejected the recommendation by the National Human Rights Commission of Korea and decisions by both of the district and high courts, and left the urgent matter unsettled, which is unfair and unreasonable, violating human rights severely. In addition, its bad actions distorting and denouncing women workers' struggles are very irrational and savage behaviors pushing the women workers' backs to the cliff.

The Choosuk national holidays on which hundreds of thousands of people visiting home are just around the corner. We urge the Korea Railroad Corporation to recognize that the national holiday means the economical abundance, the political hope, and the way of social integration from the point of view of magnanimity and tolerance, and to take an active action to solve this problem in order for women workers not to spend the national holiday on the 40 meter steel tower. We hope the Korea Railroad Corporation to accept this suggestion and to make the society of integration like the bright full moon on the Choosuk national holiday through setting up a good case between the capital and the labor.

dated on September 8, 2008

by Korean civil and women's organizations urging the corporation to provide prompt solutions for the KTX and Saemauel express trains women workers

quoted from http://www.women21.or.kr/news/?pid=news&sid=02&gbn=view&ix=1295

Holding a memorial service for Martyr KIM Kyeongsook

Korean Women Workers Association kept the 29th anniversary of the death of Martyr KIM Kyeongsook (on August 11, 2008). Members of the YH Association and 70s' Democratic Workers' Association joined together.

YH incident (the death of Martyr KIM Kyeongsook) as well as the death of Martyr CHUN Tae-il was the two biggest labor incidents in the 1970s, and it was an opportunity and proved an incentive to lead up the deprivation of the congress membership of the chairperson of the opposition party, as a consequence, the democratic movement by people in Pusan and Masan, and finally, the collapse of the Park's dictatorial regime.

In this year, the government recognized the death of Martyr KIM Kyeongsook as 'a murder by public power' by the government.

The Truth and Reconciliation Commission declared that KIM Kyungsook (at the age of 21), a YH unionist had been killed due to the excessive suppression by the police in the process of quelling striking women workers in the office of the New Democratic Party, an opposition party in 1979.

An article about the YH incident at that time was followed:

What is the YH incident?

Suppression and exploitation! Women workers have been the first victims of these words for a long time. In the process of Korean subordinate export-led economic development, women workers have always provided cheap labor, and compensated for Korea's international competitiveness, working for very low wages for long working hours. Under the veil of industrial pillars, women workers have been working in the worsened working conditions in which even their basic rights to work were not protected, and so it was natural that women workers in the 1970s carried out the consistent and organized women workers' movement. One example is YH united women workers who carried out strong struggles, fighting against company's inhumane treatment.

YH trading company was established as a small wig company in 1966, with a small capital of 1 million Won and the number of 10 workers. It grew very fast owing to taking advantage of the boom in the wig exportation and the government's export-oriented policies. Just for 4 years, it grew into the Korea's largest wig company with actual exports of US$100 million and the number of 4,000 workers. At that time, ranked 15th on the exportation list, the company received a presidential award and a Bronze Tower Industrial Medal. The company, named after the initial of the establisher, JANG Yong Ho, made a record net profit of 1,273 million Won in 1970. Of course, it was due to many women workers' sweats and sacrifices.

In September 1970, JANG Yong Ho appointed his brother-in-law, JIN Donghee as the president of the company, and had him focus on the domestic management. On the other hand, he emigrated to the U.S. with his family. Hiding away a great amount of money, he established 'Yong International Company' to import and sell YH commodities in the U.S., and made a fortune through managing a hotel and a department store. However, due to excessive expansion of its operation and unfair practices by JIN Donghee, YH trading company became declined. The company had growing debts and reduced the number of workers, and especially from 1975, it became on the rapid downside.

The production lines for making a wig need 14 stages, and amongst them, workers belonging to 11 departments received their wages on the basis of the contract work system (Under this system, workers receive their wages by hours according to outcomes of their labor during a certain amount of working hours). Workers usually had overtime work for 12 ~14 hours a day, but they did not receive any allowance.  Because they worked on the basis of the contract work system, they could not receive any wage (Class "A" workers received at most 30,000 Won, and meals cost 3,000 Won at that time) if there was no work.

"Workers began to complain about their working conditions. Therefore, we took unorganized collective actions on wage increases and overtime work. For example, because it was difficult for individual workers when just one or two workers did not go to work, so we collected collective opinions, and refused overtime work and did not go to work. On the company's side it was considered as normal because the actions occurred from time to time. At that time, just skin deep complaints were made because no trade union was set up."

CHOI Soonyoung (a former congress woman belonging to the Democratic Labor Party) made the comment as the president of YH trade union, established in 1975, which belonged to the Textile Industry Union.

Struggles against shop closure leading to the death of Martyr KIM Kyeongsook

In all the processes of the rapid growth and the decline of the company, women workers accounting for 90% out of the total number of workers were isolated and exploited all the time.

In March 1975, a work stoppage by the drying department, served as a stepping stone for the establishment of the trade union. A dogmatic personnel change by supervisors in charge of unit wages and other matters gave a chance for women workers to carry on their strike. All the 200 united women workers belonging to the drying department went on strike and in the process, Maria RHIE working for the northern partition of J.O.C. introduced and explained the role of a trade union to them. However, they did not have clear guidelines regarding what they had to do, nor did a trade union draw their attention since they confronted many imminent problems, most of all, without having no equal bargaining power.

After the strike by the drying department failed, women workers in despair and desperation felt the necessity of a trade union to stop policemen who insisted their collective action, a crime of shaking the nation and society, would violate the law, from threatening and frightening them. KIM Kyeongsook, PARK Keumsoon, LEE Yok-ja, and CHUN Jeongsook, heads of quarters at that time played main roles in establishing the YH trade union. They were dismissed later because they attempted to set up the trade union, and CHOI Soonyoung, a senior of the hand-making department received an order to go to work in a subcontracting factory in the Gangwon province.

On May 24, 1975, the YH trade union was finally founded after many twists and turns, especially after the 4 workers were victimized. Even at that moment, the company attempted to establish a company-dominated union, and continued disturbing the establishment of the democratic trade union including dismissing CHOI Soonyoung, the president of the union and LEE Jeong-ok, a vice president, transferring MIN Kyeong-Ae, a secretary-general, and buying over many workers. On June 30, 1975, even one month after the establishment of the trade union was notified, the YH trade union received a union certificate, and from the next day, they started to discuss impending problems and activity directions. Union leaders carried out a variety of activities including forming self-government associations in the dormitory, conducting small group activities, educating workers and organizing workshops, trying to maintain consistent discussion with the company. In December 1975, women workers received 50% bonus, which was a first fruit of struggles by the YH union for the first time after the establishment of the company. In addition, all workers were said to be so amused and happy with the first outcome gained through their collective action.

"It was natural that workers demanded on their wage increases and other better working conditions through discussion between the labor and the company. We were so happy with small outcomes because we had suffered a lot. In fact, we demanded to provide basic conditions stipulated by the Labor Standard Act. The company did not listen to our demands on basic matters such as the provision of retirement allowances, overtime pays, and 8 working hours a day. However, we were hilarious like in the heaven even if negotiations at low levels were kept."

The comment by CHOI Soonyoung shows harsh working conditions in the YH trading company. Since the late 1970s, international economy has been restructured and so heavy industries were cultivated. Accordingly, the YH trading company became a sunset industry and its women workers had to fight against the shop closure again. Women workers demanded on the withdrawal of the irresponsible shop closure and carried out struggles for the normalization of the company, but the company and the government were just disinterested and busily transferred their responsibilities. At last, about 200 YH union members set down the office of the New Democratic Party as a final exit for their struggle. They insisted "Normalize the company, or give us a death." However, suppressive subjugation by policemen terminated their 40-hour long struggle in the office of the opposition party within accurate 23 minutes. In the course, many people were dragged like dogs, beaten and hurt, including about 30 congress members and party members belonging to the New Democratic Party, 12 journalists and tens of workers. KIM Kyeongsook, a standing executive committee person turned to a cold body. Later on, the YH incident, an important political issue, gave a spark to end the dictatorial regime, after the following incidents of struggles in Pusan and Masan, and assassination of the president Park.

Firm struggles at all costs by YH union members were an important page of the Korean labor movement showing women workers' independence and struggles. That is because they tried to change their situations actively and to carry out a strong and organized movement, despite harsh suppression on the trade union. However, most of all, is it due to women workers' well-disciplined morality, courage and solidarity that YH union has stood as a standard example in the Korean labor movement?

(Quoted from http://cafe.daum.net/metalmystery/6wW7/169 )